Today we are going to look at a new project going on a street that hasn’t seen any infill development for many years. Over on 17th Street and Platte Street, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) is planning to build a 73,000 square foot 4-story office building. Here is a map with the site outlined.
Here is where this project gets pretty interesting. The building will not face Platte Street and will not be integrated into the Denver Beer Company building that already sits on this intersection. The Lab will sit behind the Denver Beer Company with 4,900 square feet of ground floor retail along 17th Street. Here are a couple renderings of The Lab, courtesy of the project’s website. The first rendering shows the building from 17th and Platte and the second rendering shows the building from the middle of Interstate 25.
Now for a look at what is there as of today. Once again, the building will go behind the Denver Beer Company.
Heading down 17th Street from Platte Street, you will find a little red brick building, which is currently occupied by a janitorial supply company. This will be demolished to make way for The Lab.
Here’s one last look at the site, this time from the Lower Highland neighborhood.
I’m not sure when the project is expected to break ground but, according to their brochure, completion is expected by March 2015. Even though it’s tucked away, it will be very interesting to see what kind of impact this project will have on Platte Street.
I hope they don’t cut down those trees behind Denver Brewing Company, Denver can’t afford to have tree’s cut down.
American Forest ranked Denver as a top 10 city for best Urban Canopy. Now downtown could use a little extra love. A couple of the trees at this site are decent, but they are located in a really bad spot. I’m sure they’ll have to provide new landscaping along the new sidewalk they’ll have to pour. Not a bad tradeoff.
There seems to be a fair amount of land with great infill potential in this immediate area. I wonder why it has taken so long for anyone to notice it.
what an ugly building.. how sad to me… square boxes everywhere… soon we will be a city of square boxes… Recent trip to Chicago, new construction is so much more creative…
Another uninspired modern eyesore. With the added effect this time of overpowering Denver Beer Company’s pleasant little converted-garage. This city is already starting to look dated with these buildings.
I don’t like this. I know that the area might need some infill, but Bernie’s right – it will dominate over the laid back atmosphere of Denver Beer Company. I also agree with Michael. the second thing I thought was “it’s just a box!”. Ugg.
Yeesh… You guys are too much. This is hardly a prime spot for class ‘A’ office space.
It’s been, more or less nothing, for many decades. Soon there will be an interesting, modern building that will add density, activity and an exciting contrast to the Denver Beer Company. (There… fixed it for ya.)
To each their own. I kind of like the building.
How is this infill? This is a cool old building. And it wasn’t “nothing”, it was a business for many decades which apparently has moved farther out where it’s easier/cheaper to operate. So instead of a mixed use area with some manufacturing and distribution businesses, we’ll have shops, restaurants and boring office buildings.
These old buildings and businesses gave this area its character. IMO this is what people like about Platte St. and “Riverfront”, and LoHi across the highway. How much charm will it have when it’s all boring glass and brick buildings looming over the street? Not to mention a boring, homogenous population.
True, it’s not much of an infill when they tear down a building for it.
But, I’m curious, what is cool about the building it is replacing? Other than it’s brick. It seems to me to lack any detail or character to make it worthy of saving and appears to be barely standing. The worst part about it is that they painted the brick. Sometimes you just can’t recover from painted brick.
I like it, especially if the grey portion is brick and not mud. It’s also a neat spot to see Platte street get a variety of uses. Entertainment, shopping, and working all within two blocks, all at an appropriate scale.
Well, lets not be so negative, isn’t this office space going bring more business for all these restaurants and bars? Also, when looking at platte river side from I25 between Speer blvd and 20th street, there’s nothing but overgrown with weeds old vacant lots. Once this building is up, many people will live and work within a walking distance.